In an alternative 1890, the British Empire’s reach and power is almost absolute, and from a technologically-advanced London where steam-power is king and airships ply the skies, Queen Victoria presides over three-quarters of the known world – including the east coast of America, following the failed revolution of 1775.
But London might as well be a world away from Sandsend, a tiny village on the Yorkshire coast, where Gideon Smith whiles away his days fishing on his father’s clockwork gearship and dreaming of the adventure promised him by the lurid tales of Captain Lucian Trigger, the Hero of the Empire, as presented in Gideon’s favourite “penny dreadful” periodical, World Marvels & Wonders.
When Gideon’s father is lost at sea in highly mysterious circumstances, Gideon is convinced that supernatural forces are at work. The writer Bram Stoker, holidaying in nearby Whitby, fears that a vampire from Transylvania is abroad on English soil, but is the dark agency that killed Arthur Smith and his crew even more ancient and foul – murderous, mummified creatures from the shifting sands of Egypt?
Deciding only Captain Lucian Trigger himself can aid him in his search for answers, Gideon sets off for London, and on the way rescues the mysterious mechanical girl Maria from a tumbledown house of shadows and iniquities.
Looking for heroes but finding only mysteries and unanswered questions, it falls to Gideon Smith to step up to the plate and attempt to save the day… but can a humble fisherman really become the true Hero of the Empire?

Audio: @Audible.com: Ringworld by Larry Niven [via SFFAudio]@Starship Sofa: "Lord Dickens's Declaration" by Lawrence Santoro (This is also available as an eBook, the proceeds from which will go to Spider and Jeanne Robinson as they struggle with Jeanne's illness.)@Beware the Hairy Mango: "The Creepy Little Mailbox Man" by Matthew Sanborn Smith.@Dunesteef: "Page 67: Final Exam" by Edward McKeown.@Podcastle: "Superhero Girl" Continue Reading →

Courtesy of the publisher 40K, SF Signal has 3 eBook copies of Kaaron Warren's horror story The Grinding House to give away to 3 lucky SF Signal readers! Here's the description:A horror story set in a futuristic society where people face an epidemic that's not only infecting its food supply, but every living being in it, too. And no matter Continue Reading →

Star Trek: Of Gods and Men is a three part mini-series featuring Trek alumni spanning all 5 Star Trek TV series and eight of the Trek feature films. Twelve years have passed since Captain James Kirk was swept away by the Nexus while saving the crew of the Enterprise-B. Sadly, one year later, Captain Montgomery Scott was reported missing Continue Reading →